Automatic vacuum pool cleaner



March 4, 1969 RORTEGA 7 AUTOMATIC VACUUM POOL CLEANER I Filed May 25, 1967 Sheet Of 5 INVENTOR. ROBERT Dev-Esp Filed May 25, 1967 Sheet 3 March 4, 1969 P I R.ORTEGA 3,430,217

AUTOMATIC VACUUM POOL CLEANER I NVE N TOR. Ross/a7- O2 T560 March 4, 1969 R. ORTEGA AUTOMATIC VACUUM POOL CLEANER R v9 0% v #9 v h. g l v H Q I INVENTOR. ROBE/2T O2 TEGA? fiv'rozwsvg,

Sheet fiai-ai Filed May 25, 1967 United States Patent Oflice 3,430,277 Patented Mar. 4, 1969 3,430,277 AUTOMATIC VA'CUUM POOL CLEANER Robert Ortega, 4171 Calhoun Drive, Huntington Beach, Calif. 92647 Filed May 25, 1967, Ser. No. 641,239 US. Cl. 15-1.7 Int. Cl. E04h 3/20 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Background the invention The conventional circulating system for a swimming pool includes a drain at the deepest portion and 2. skimmer with a secondary outlet near the water surface. Conduits from these are joined to feed a pump, which returns the water to the pool. A filter, and frequently a heater, are interposed in the system.

Silt, sand, sediment and small leaves which drift toward the drain are removed by the suction through the drain. Larger leaves may have to be scooped out. Surface dust and other floating foreign matter is taken off through the skimmer by the suction afforded by the secondary outlet.

In addition, periodic cleaning is accomplished by brushing the walls and bottom or by hand manipulated water vacuum cleaner, or both. The water vacuum force is obtained by a hose connection with the secondary outlet. Usually, the connection of the vacuum hose cuts off circulation from the main drain, to increase the pull through the secondary outlet. These methods are time consuming and costly from a labor standpoint.

Various automatic cleaners have been proposed. Some use jets or whips or snakes to stir up the water and theoretically to loosen the dirt so it will be in suspension to flow out through the drain. Another form utilizes a machine which travels around on the coping of the pool and drags a vacuum device. A third one crawls on wheels or tracks across the bottom of the pool and vacuums as it travels. None of these fulfill the needs. Stirring up the water leaves the pool murky, and does not loosen all the dirt from the bottom and walls. The travelling vacuum device does not properly clean either Walls or bottom. The third one cannot climb the walls. Any pool owner knows that foreign matter collects on the walls and that adequate cleaning requires that they be engaged by a brush or a vacuum cleaner head. Some of the systems also require extra motors, time clocks, additional electrical wiring, and plumbing.

Summary of the invention The present invention has as its primary object the provision of an automatic pool cleaner which utilizes a conventional type vacuum hose coupled to the standard secondary outlet of the pool, and which will travel not only across the bottom but up the walls of the pool, and will vacuum clean as it travels.

The travel movement as well as the Vacuum cleaning are both accomplished by the water vacuum arising from suction through the secondary outlet.

Movement over the bottom and up the walls is done in small relatively slow increments with a minimum water disturbance thus eliminating to a large degree undesirable shifting of foreign particles into suspension.

Suction cup mechanisms are carried by the cylinder and piston rod respectively of a hydraulic cylinder assembly. Suitable valving controlled by the relative positions of piston and cylinder provides alternate vacuum communication to the cups in sequence. While a forward cup is held fast by suction, cleaning the bottom or wall surface at the same time, a rearward Cup which has the vacuum connection broken, moves toward the first by action of the hydraulic cylinder assembly. The vacuum communication to the cups is then automatically reversed, and the rearward cup which was travelling is held fast, and the forward one advances away from the rearward one. The movement is first a pull, then a push, and so on, repeated as long as water is drawn through the secondary outlet.

When the device climbs to a point at or near the water surface of the pool, vacuum is broken and the device sinks back to the bottom of the pool and thereupon resumes its travel and cleaning action.

Optionally, a shell may be employed to cover the working parts described and to function as a vacuum cleaner head working over a larger area than the individual vacuum cups.

The cleaner requires no auxiliary pumps, motors or other accessories, and no manual attention other than to place it in the pool, and remove it when desired.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a cross sectional view of a swimming pool with the cleaner shown at the bottom in full lines and climbing a wall in broken lines.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross section of the cleaner, with the parts in one operating position.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary end elevation taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary enlarged section of the shell rim supported by a caster.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 with the parts in a different operating position.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary enlarged section of a vacuum cup assembly, with the cup flange slightly flattered as under suction.

FIGURE 7 is a view generally similar to FIGURE 6 illustrating the flexibility of the vacuum cup connection, the cup being dormant.

FIGURE 8 is a top plan view of the primary operating parts with a portion of the shell shown in phantom lines.

The apparatus comprises a walking water vacuum mechanism 15 preferably enclosed within a shell 16 the peripheral base 17 of which is supported close to the surface of the swimming pool and through which shell preferably a second water vacuum action occurs.

The walking water vacuum mechanism comprises at least one forward vacuum cup 18 and one or more rearward vacuum cups 19. For stability, a good arrangement is a single forward cup and a pair of rearward ones spaced apart transversely providing a triangular structure, as shown in FIGURE 8.

The vacuum cups act as feet which grip the plaster surface of the pool in alternate sequences, the forward cup advancing while the rearward ones grip, and then the rearward ones advancing while the forward one grips.

The sequences as described are illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 5, respectively.

Referring to FIGURE 2, a general housing contains a cylinder 21 within which a piston 22 reciprocates. The piston may be a flat circular plate, as shown, with a peripheral O-ring 23 for sealing. A piston rod 25 in the form of a hollow tube slides through a bushing 26 provided with a packing gland 27.

The piston rod is connected at its free end with a nipple 28 which in turn mounts the vacuum cup 18.

The latter is preferably formed of a hollow body 30 with a resilient frusto-conical flange 31 attached to the rim of the body. The top 32 of the hollow body has a stepped bore 33 extending therethrough, the minimum diameter 34 of which is greater than the outside diameter of a tubular extension 35 projecting from the nipple 28 through the bore and terminating within the hollow body in a flange 36. The larger diameter of the stepped bore provides an annular shouldered recess 37 for insertion of an annular resilient sealing member 38, which is U shaped in cross section. The inner peripheral edge 40 of the sealing member is disposed in the same general annular area presented by the lower end 41 of the nipple 28, which prevents unintended withdrawal of the sealing member in light of the fact that the flange 36 assures that the extension 34 remains in the hollow body. The loose fit afforded between the minimum diameter of the bore and the extension 35, in conjunction with the resiliency of the member 38 provides flexibility in the joint whereby the vacuum cup may adapt itself to proper seating on angled or curved surfaces of the pool. Telescopic axial adjustment is also afforded by the spacing between the lower end 41 of the nipple and the flange 36.

Water communication is thus provided from the pool through the nipple 28 and piston rod 25 into the cylinder 21 on the left hand side of the piston as viewed in FIGURE 2. Further, this communication system includes a flexible hose 42 coupled at one end to the interior of the piston rod, and at its other end to one end of a slide valve 43.

This valve is conveniently mounted on the housing 20, and comprises an elongated barrel 44 providing coaxial chambers 45 and 46. The diameter of the chambers is reduced in the center region providing valve seats 47 and 48. A double headed valve element 50 includes opposite heads 51 and 52 rigidly interconnected by a valve stem 53. The heads have diameters less than the diameters of the chambers to afford water passages, and are positioned for sliding movement and sealed by annular rings 55 and 56.

The valve stem 53 has a diameter less than the reduced center region of the barrel to afford a water passage. The heads can alternately close on the valve seats 47 and 48.

A water vacuum line 57 is tapped in to the barrel at the center region by a nipple 58. This water vacuum line can be a flexible hose connected to the secondary outlet of the pool, and if desired, small floats can be attached to it to maintain it at or near the water surface except for the length necessary to reach the bottom of the pool.

The cylinder 21 on the right side of the piston as viewed in FIGURE 2 communicates with a conduit 60 which con nects through a T 61 with the vacuum cups 19 and also through a conduit 62 with the valve chamber 46. The vacuum cup connections with the T are similar to the connection shown in FIGURES 6 and 7 and described.

The valve heads 51 and 52 are annular in cross section matching the annular surfaces of the rings 55 and 56, but are formed with flattened surfaces 65 and 66 to afford bleeding passages for reasons which will be later explained.

A valve trip assembly 70 includes a rod 71 rigidly secured at one end to valve head 51, is slidably guided in a standard 72 mounted on the piston rod 25. Stop washers 73 and 74 are adapted alternately to be engaged by the standard for shifting the valve element axially with respect to the barrel. Compression springs 75 and 76 cushion the contact with the standard, and permit a slight over travel of standard against the washers.

Before proceeding to a description of the shell 16 and its appurtenances, the operation of the walking water vacuum mechanism will be outlined.

When the parts are in the operative positions shown in FIGURE 2, a water vacuum pull through the line 57 (derived from the pump of the conventional pool circulating system, not shown), sucks water and foreign matter through the vacuum cups 19, causing them to cling by suction to the plaster surface 80 of the pool bottom or wall. The flow is through the T 61, the tube 62, the valve chamber 46, and (the valve head 52 being in the open position) thence into the nipple 58. The same suction drains the cylinder on the right side of the piston through conduit 60, and the piston shifts in the direction of arrow A, FIGURE 2.

This is possible because, with the valve head 51 in closed position, there is no vacuum pull on the cup 18 and the latter is inoperative. Water flows into and through the cup, nipple 28, and the piston rod 25 to fill the cylinder 21 to the left of the piston.

Movement of the piston in the direction of the arrow A carries with it the vacuum cup 18. This direction is the direction of progress of the whole mechanism 15.

When the piston rod has moved to the right approximately to the limit of travel permitted by the cylinder, the standard 72 engages the washer 73. Movement continues against resistance of the spring 75, and the rod 71 thereupon shifts to the right, sliding the valve head 51 to open position and the valve head 52 to closed position. Such relationship is shown in FIGURE 5.

Water vacuum pull thereupon is exerted on vacuum cup 18, cleaning the area which it covers and causing it to cling to the bottom or wall of the pool.

The communication is through nipple 28, hose 42, valve chamber 45 and nipple 58. Concurrently the cylinder to the left of the piston is emptied through the piston rod into the hose 42 thus reversing the piston movement. Vacuum on cups 19 is broken, and water flows through the cups and T through the conduit 60 into the cylinder to the right of the piston. To eliminate any possibility that a static vacuum may persist after the valve head is closed, and the cups 19 not be freed, the flattened surface 66 which forms a bleeding passage, provides communication between the tube 62 through the valve chamber to the pool water outside, and the vacuum is thus assured of being broken. (On the alternate sequence, the flattened surface 65 assures the same result.)

In the sequence under description, with the cup 18 as the anchor, the housing, with cups 19 (which are inoperative) advances toward cup 18, until washer 74 comes into engagement with the standard 72. Continued pressure compresses the spring 76 and the slide valve returns to its original position.

Advancement of the whole unit with intermittent regularity will continue in a path over the bottom of a pool and up the sides. When the leading end of the unit represented by the cup 18 rises above the level of water in the pool, the water vacuum will be ineffective at the end of the sequence by the presence of air in the cup and the Whole unit slips back down to the bottom of the pool, then resumes its advancement in a random direction, depending upon the alignment of the housing.

The unit can be caused to travel in a circle by plugging up one of the cups 19.

An auxiliary provision for admitting air to break the water vacuum at the pool water surface, is a port 81 at the forward end of the piston rod. If desired, a snorkel tube (not shown) may be extended from this port in order to be exposed to the air at any selected vertical disposition of the unit.

In order to assure a firm seating of the valve heads in their correct alternating order, an automatically releasing latching device 85 is provided. This includes a pair of parallel plates 86 pivoted at 87 on a bracket 88 extending from the housing. The plates are spaced by a member 89 from which pins 90 extend. These pins anchorcoil springs 91 at one end and the other ends of the springs are attached to studs 92 on the valve barrel. At a point above the pivot 87 the plates are pivotally attached at 93 to the rear end of the valve head 52. The positioning of the pivot points 87 and 93 relative to the pins 90 and studs 92 15 such that the pins 90 can be swung in either direction past the alignment of pivot 87 and studs 92, whereby the springs bias the valve element 50 in either one of its extreme positions. The latching is automatic as the springs cross the dead center axis of the pivot 87. Fluttering of the valve is thus avoided.

Turning now to the structure and function of the shell 16, it is preferably a hemispherical dome of lightweight fairly rigid material such as a hard plastic.

A resilient grommet 100 is located in the center of the dome, to accommodate the nipple 58, and permit the dome to swivel. This grommet is retained in an annular cup 101 which has an opening in the bottom larger than the outside diameter of the nipple 58, which permits relative tilting of dome and nipple. The base of the dome is a ll 01'1- Zontal flange 102 preferably trimmed with a resilient bumper member 103.

It is desirable to support the base flange slightly off the plaster surface of the pool and this is achieved by small casters 104. It could be done by equivalent means, as for example, skids. The casters may have conventional adjustable mounting to increase or decrease the clearance between the base flange 102 and the pool surface.

A port 110 is formed in the nipple 58. This functions as a water intake for the vacuum line 57. Leaves and sediment will be drawn under the flange into the shell and sucked out through the port 110. The latter supplements the cleaning action of the vacuum cups.

Although I have herein shown and described my invention in which I have conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of my invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices.

I claim:

1. An automatic cleaner for swimming pools comprising: a plurality of suction cups, means mounting said suction cups with their mouths disposed in the same general plane and spaced apart, said means including relatively shiftable elements whereby the spacing between the cups may be alternately lengthened and shortened, means for coupling said cups to a water suction source, and means providing alternate fluid suction communication between said cups and said coupling means, whereby the cleaner is caused to travel over a pool surface structure and the suction through the cups cleans said surface.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the relatively shiftable elements include a hydraulic cylinder and piston therein with a piston rod extending therefrom, at least one of said cups being carried by the cylinder and at least another of said cups being carried by the piston rod, and the means providing alternate fluid suction communication includes a valve which alternately establishes fluid suction communication on opposite sides of said piston.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 in which a shell is attached to the means for coupling the cups to a water suction source, the shell encloses the means mounting the suction cups and is formed with a rim lying in a plane generally parallel to the plane of the suction cup mouths but spaced slightly upward from the latter.

4. A device as defined in claim 3 in which the shell is liquid impervious, the interior of the shell has a communication with the water suction source, and the relative positioning of the suction cup mouths and the shell rim provides a water flow passage between said rim and the pool structure surface for a vacuum cleaning action supplementing the cleaning action of the suction cups.

5. A device as defined in claim 2 in which the valve includes two ports and means for opening one port and concurrently closing the other, and actuating means rcsponsive to the relative movement of piston and cylinder operating the port opening and closing means.

6. A device as defined in claim 5 in which a shell overlies the means mounting the suction cups and is formed with a rim lying in a plane generally parallel to the plane of the suction cup months but spaced slightly upward from the latter, the interior of the shell having a communication with the water suction source, and the relative positioning of the suction cup mouths and the shell rim providing a water flow passage between said rim and the pool structure surface for a vacuum cleaning action supplementing the cleaning action of the suction cups.

7. An automatic pool cleaner for use in conjunction with a water suction source comprising: a supporting structure, a plurality of suction elements carried by said supporting structure, said suction elements lying spaced apart in the same general plane and being transversely movable relative to one another, means providing communication between said suction elements and the water suction source to provide a water vacuum and surface gripping action, means interrupting said communication alternately with respect to at least two suction elements and means causing a suction element during interruption of the water suction communication to move relative to a suction element with which the communication is in effect, whereby the cleaner moves in increments over the pool bottom and up the pool walls in performing the water vacuum action.

8. A device as defined in claim 7 in which the suction elements are universally mounted on said supporting structure to accommodate them to working on a pool bottom or wall which deviates from a fiat plane.

9. A device as defined in claim 7 which includes a shell overlying said supporting structure and formed with a rim lying in a plane generally parallel to the plane of the suction elements but spaced from the latter plane away from the pool bottom or wall a distance to provide a water vacuum passage, and a communication between the interior of the shell and the water Suction source.

10. An automatic cleaner for swimming pools for use in conjunction with a water suction source comprising: a first vacuum cup, a second vacuum cup spaced rearwardly of the first, sequentially operable extensible and retractable means interconnecting the two cups, means actuatable by the suction source to alternately extend and retract the last named means, and means connecting the first cup only to the suction source to anchor said cup to the surface of the pool structure while the means interconnecting the cups is in the retraction sequence, and means connecting the second cup to and releasing the first cup from the suction source while the means interconnecting the cups is in the extension sequence, the alternate extension and retraction of the means interconnecting the cups causing the cleaner to travel by steps across the bottom and up the walls of a pool, said cups performing a surface vacuum function while at their respective anchoring positions.

11. An automatic pool cleaner comprising: a hydraulic cylinder and a piston dividing the cylinder into reversibly functioning input and output sections, water suction means, valve means for establishing output from one section to said suction means and input to said other section when the cylinder is immersed in the water of a pool, and

vacuum cups in separate series communication with said valve means, said vacuum cups being disposed at spaced points longitudinally of said cylinder, whereby when one cup is subject to water vacuum pull it grips the surface of the pool structure and cleans the same, and another cup is inoperative, and means interconnecting the cups and the cylinder to advance the inoperative cup toward the operative cup in one sequence, and in another sequence to advance the inoperative cup away from the operative cup.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which the piston rod is hollow and provides fluid communication between the cylinder on one side of the piston and a vacuum cup carried by the piston.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS EDWARD L. ROBERTS, Primary Examiner. 

